Housing Bubble, credit bubble, public planning, land use, zoning and transportation in the exurban environment. Specific criticism of smart growth, neotradtional, forms based, new urbanism and other top down planner schemes to increase urban extent and density. Ventura County, California specific examples.

Friday, January 09, 2009

Olympic Fail

Home Depot ends Olympics sponsorship programThu Jan 8, 2009 3:03pm ESTATLANTA (Reuters) - Home improvement retailer Home Depot Inc is ending a sponsorship program under which it paid full-time wages and benefits for part-time work to athletes training for the Olympic Games.

The company currently employs 98 people in the Olympic Jobs Opportunities Program, in which it had been a sponsor since 1992.

After March 2, those athletes will no longer receive full-time benefits. They can remain in their part-time jobs, apply for full-time positions, or discontinue their employment at Home Depot.

"We feel the time has come to look at new ways to enhance our brand and provide exciting, new programs that appeal to our customers and associates," spokeswoman company Jean Niemi said on Thursday.

Anybody who spins this badly deserves to to screw themselves. On second thought I'll just take a closer look at those rings.

I have often wondered at the hubris of the modern capitalist model which leads companies to identify a business that is making money and set up shop across the street with almost the same business. What leads a company leader to see a nice coffee shop and think "I bet if I opened another one right next door I could destroy their profitability and make a ton of money for us."

If the old HD in Oxnard is any indicator of what is to come we can expect nothing but brownfields blighting the once vibrant orange temples of the fliptards and their home equity acolytes.

Just thinking that maybe the fact that I've never been married or spawned nightmares might be a huge asset these days.I can't figure out why people get wrapped up in such Gaza-esque scenarios.I'm going to a very nice spa and eating caviar to support the BS economy.